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County Commissioner's minutes June 18-19
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July 24, 2012 |
***Monday, June 18, 2012, Commissioners did not
meet due to lack of a quorum.
***Tuesday, June 19, 2012, Commissioners met in
regular session with Chairman Ron Smith,
Commissioner Dan Dinning, Commissioner Walt
Kirby, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
9:00 a.m., Commissioners held an elected
officials/department heads meeting. Present
were: Clerk Glenda Poston, Chief Deputy Clerk
Tracie Isaac, Prosecutor’s Office Manager Tammie
Goggia, Assessor Dave Ryals, Treasurer Jenny
Fessler, Extension Office Educator Carol
Hampton, Noxious Weeds Superintendent Duke
Guthrie, Courthouse Maintenance Jerry Kothe,
Chief Probation Officer Stacy Brown, Solid Waste
Superintendent Claine Skeen, Road and Bridge
Superintendent Jeff Gutshall, Restorium
Administrator Karlene Magee, and Courthouse
Security Ron Sukenik.
Chairman Smith mentioned a future surplus
auction. Someone had inquired when the County
would hold its next surplus personal property
auction, but it doesn’t make sense to hold an
auction if there is not much to put up for sale,
according to Chairman Smith. The elected
officials and department heads were asked to
provide Commissioners with a list of items they
may have to put up for auction.
Commissioner Dinning said Boundary Volunteer
Ambulance (BVA) had originally requested
approximately $160,000 until the tax levy funds
for 2013 came in. In addition BVA asked that the
County build them a facility costing another
$650,000, and finally to guarantee a contract to
levy the full amount of approximately $342,000
for five years. Commissioner Dinning said there
is a progressive process to utilize one
paramedic and to increase to three paramedics.
The levy amount of $342,000 almost equals the
full asset value of BVA, according to
Commissioner Dinning.
Chairman Smith said the next to the last meeting
Commissioners had with BVA he made a statement
to BVA’s attorney that the County just does not
have the funds to do what BVA wants them to do
and the attorney’s reply was to “sell something”
and the comment that if the County can spend
$900,000 on garbage service, it seems more
important than ambulance service.
Commissioner Dinning said it would take four to
five paramedics to cover Boundary County and
that would take a huge portion of their funding.
Commissioner Dinning said in his conversation
with Mr. Wakeley of Bonner County EMS, he
learned you cannot just put one paramedic on as
you have to prove to the Sate you can provide
24/7 coverage. Commissioner Dinning said there
has been a lot of discussion between himself and
BVA so the hope is to come to some resolution.
If there is resolution with Bonner County EMS to
enter into a contact prior to June 29th, Mr.
Wakeley will provide one ambulance and one EMT
at a cost of $550 per day. If Bonner County EMS
provides two ambulance units and two personnel
members, it would cost $1,100 per day. Idaho
Code states ambulance service is the
responsibility of the county. Mr. Wakeley has
provided the donation of one ambulance unit and
in addition the County will potentially rent an
ambulance unit from another district.
Commissioner Dinning said he had a meeting with
all BVA EMT’s and drivers to discuss
volunteering under Bonner County’s license.
Commissioner Dinning said for clarity that there
is ambulance service in this County currently
and he wanted that clarified due to a lot of
information circulating out in the County. There
will be ambulance services in place no matter
what, according to Commissioner Dinning. One of
the newest ambulance units BVA has gotten was
through a grant so the State can reclaim this
unit and provide it to Boundary County.
Chairman Smith said the contract through Bonner
County has nothing to do with BVA as it includes
the local EMT’s who wish to continue to
volunteer. If matters with BVA are not resolved,
BVA will have to vacate the County facility and
the units provided by Bonner County EMS will be
housed in that same building.
Assessor Ryals asked how long this short term
contract with Bonner County EMS will last and
Commissioner Dinning said about three months.
Chairman Smith said Bonner County EMS will
handle the related billing and deduct their fees
from what is collected. Assessor Ryals discussed
not being able to levy beyond the 3% in this
budget. Commissioner Dinning mentioned the
process of borrowing from another County source
and paying that amount back when the levy funds
come in. Chairman Smith said wherever the money
is borrowed from will also receive a benefit as
there will be interest earned.
Ms. Goggia asked who wanted this agreement and
she asked about the County having volunteer
EMT’s and if there was a division within BVA?
Commissioners said yes there is a division.
Commissioner Dinning said things have come to a
head and the community would’ve had to face this
at some point.
Mr. Sukenik asked if multiple proposals for
ambulance service have been provided.
Commissioner Dinning said a couple proposals
have come in the form of mutual aid agreements.
Commissioners said no one wants to “not” have
this service. It was said Connie DeCoe-Munier
had a proposal, but that is another volunteer
situation. Commissioners said it would be
difficult for Boundary Community Hospital to
provide the ambulance service, Hospital CEO/CFO
Craig Johnson said it would significantly reduce
their Medicare reimbursement rates for hospital
related functions.
Chairman Smith said to explain how difficult
this process has been, the last meeting
Commissioners had in their office with the BVA
Board, he opened the meeting by saying he was
glad to see the board members, but BVA’s
attorney said Commissioners will not be speaking
to the board members. At another meeting
Commissioners had with the BVA Board and the
EMT’s, the Board took the County’s proposal to
the members, which caused him to wonder about
the purpose of the Board because if the Board
agreed to anything with Commissioners, there is
the possibility those board members could be
replaced by a vote of the members.
Treasurer Fessler asked if BVA has shown
Commissioners their financial books.
Commissioner Dinning said BVA is a 501(3)C, and
they do not want to show their books. Treasurer
Fessler said she had spoken to a BVA EMT who had
quit and this EMT felt BVA books should be
transparent. Mr. Sukenik mentioned estimating
the value of the ambulance barn that is provided
to BVA by the County at no charge. Mr. Sukenik
thanked Commissioners for sticking to their guns
and mentioned the strong armed tactics used by
BVA during this budget year. Commissioner
Dinning said there is a lot of misinformation
out in the public about this matter.
Assessor Ryals spoke of the estimated 10%
decrease in the County’s market value. Assessor
Ryals said that is the problem when the property
value notices go out as most property owners are
seeing a reduction in value, but don’t realize
the tax bill won’t change. Commissioner Dinning
said historically the County is only able to
collect 90% of taxes that are due.
Commissioners mentioned the 3% cap for the levy.
From information learned from the State Tax
Commission, it is best for the County to levy
the full amount for the ambulance district the
first year in order to protect the integrity of
the levy ability. The County can choose not to
levy any amount the following two years and then
levy again the fourth year. Clerk Poston said
the original request of $342,000 will be closer
to $280,000 due to the reduction in the County’s
value, according to Clerk Poston. Assessor Ryals
mentioned the utility values have yet to come
in.
Mr. Sukenik discussed DSL service and explained
Frontier Communication’s program in which blocks
of time can be purchased. Chairman Smith said
currently each County office has a long distance
code and asked how that works with blocks of
time. Mr. Sukenik mentioned the phone numbers
allowed within that block of time and he
mentioned offices will still receive their own
statements. Mr. Sukenik said the cost for the
program for the blocks of time should cut
current bills in half.
Assessor Ryals asked if there were any
improvements for DSL. Mr. Sukenik said what the
County pays for the service it’s getting is
surprisingly good. Assessor Ryals discussed
problems when he’s trying to get information to
the Tax Commission. Assessor Ryals said when the
Courthouse was one of the few using DSL it was
fine, but when more of the community began using
the service, it caused a bottleneck.
Commissioner Dinning said he thinks a better
high speed service is coming. Mr. Sukenik said
the Assessor’s Office could obtain a separate
DSL line. Assessor Ryals said he thinks the
bottleneck is the communications company
overselling the service.
Clerk Poston discussed saving on travel by using
a video conferencing system, but she wasn’t able
to get the system to work and had to use her
computer at home.
Commissioner Kirby said getting the fiber optics
and super fast service won’t happen tomorrow.
Chairman Smith said he got the impression that
the representatives from Frontier Communications
weren’t too thrilled with fiber optics becoming
available.
9:45 a.m., Boundary County Emergency Services
Director Dave Kramer joined the meeting.
Ms. Goggia asked how bad flooding is in the
County. Mr. Kramer said surface saturation and
not flooding is the problem at the moment. There
is more water coming in than is being released.
Commissioner Dinning said Greg Hoffman with the
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at the Libby Dam
and one other representative had attended the
KVRI meeting last night and they were quite
concerned. Commissioner Dinning mentioned Mr.
Hoffman said he thought there would be a nice
easy runoff, but all this rain has changed
plans.
Mr. Gutshall said in looking at the temperatures
next week, run off will be a problem. Mr. Kramer
said the problem isn’t necessarily at this
location; it is all the dams further down.
The elected officials/department heads meeting
ended at 9:50 a.m.
Commissioner Dinning moved to sign the letter
for the Boundary County Youth Crisis and
Domestic Violence Hotline as it pertains to
in-kind information. Commissioner Kirby second.
Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Dinning moved to approve the
minutes of May 28 & 29, 2012. Commissioner Kirby
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Dinning moved to amend today’s
agenda at 11:30 a.m., to allow for an Executive
Session, Idaho Code #67-2345(1)c, to conduct
deliberations concerning labor negotiations.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioner Kirby moved to authorize the
Chairman to sign the letter appointing Dave
Kramer as the Local Emergency Response Authority
(LERA) for Boundary County. Commissioner Dinning
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Mr. Kramer said the County is making progress on
the issue involving notification from
Transcanada Gas.
Idaho Department of Homeland Security Local Area
Field Officer Jay Baker joined the meeting at
10:00 a.m.
Mr. Kramer said the meeting with Transcanada Gas
was good and Transcanada Gas representatives
explained what caused the gas leak in that one
valve had been left open. Mr. Kramer said he
learned Transcanada Gas can release a certain
amount of gas without notification, but because
of the amount released notice had to be
provided. This gas release did not create an
issue down the line, according to Mr. Kramer.
Transcanada Gas did agree to make sure proper
notification is given to all parties for future
incidents. Chairman Smith asked what could’ve
happened for it to be a catastrophe. Mr. Kramer
spoke of dissipation and he explained how the
system releases gas so not to cause an
explosion. Commissioner Dinning said the worst
case is there would have been a spark a certain
number of feet high. Mr. Kramer said a tour of
Transcanada Gas facilities will be set up for
fire departments, emergency responders and
Emergency Services.
It was said the flow chart used for notification
is the only flow chart for the State. Mr. Kramer
said Fred Abt is the Response and Recovery
Section Chief with Homeland Security and he
oversees the hazmat response group. Mr. Abt
agrees with some of the points made from the
last meeting about this event and he will
research this with his staff in Boise. The
County should’ve been notified and the Local
Emergency Responding Authority (LERA) contact
information needs to be updated. It was said Mr.
Abt felt it shouldn’t matter if the event is
regulatory or non-regulatory, the County should
be notified.
It was said the bottom line is the State will
look into this and review the existing flow
chart. Mr. Kramer said Mr. Graham wants to look
into why it took Transcanada Gas so long to
report the incident. Mr. Baker said his concern
is why Transcanada Gas didn’t contact the
Boundary County Sheriff’s Office. Commissioner
Dinning said nothing bad became of this and it
is a good thing to go through the checks and
balances.
Mr. Baker explained the State’s Hazardous
Materials Protocol Manual listing contacts and
notifications.
The meeting with Mr. Kramer and Mr. Baker ended
at 10:20 a.m.
Commissioner Kirby moved to authorize the
Chairman to sign the Panhandle Area Council
Community Restorium Elevator Project
#ICDBG-12-I-10-PF, Professional Services
Contract Amendment #1. Commissioner Dinning
second. Motion passed unanimously.
10:24 a.m., Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals joined the
meeting.
10:25 a.m., Commissioner Dinning moved to go
into closed session under Idaho Code #31-874.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously. 10:35 a.m., Commissioner Dinning
moved to go out of closed session. Commissioner
Kirby second. Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Dinning moved to deny indigent
application #2012-22. Commissioner Kirby second.
Motion passed unanimously.
Commissioner Dinning moved to review indigent
account #2011-50 for additional monthly payments
again in April 2013. Commissioner Kirby second.
Motion passed unanimously.
Deputy Clerk Nancy Ryals left the meeting at
10:38 a.m.
Clerk Glenda Poston joined the meeting at 10:40
a.m.
Chairman Smith mentioned correspondence received
discussing County funding for the proposed
District 1 Mental Health and Intoxication
Facility. Clerk Poston said Kootenai County
Commissioner Jai Nelson did not present
information on this proposed facility at the
Commissioners and Clerks Conference.
Clerk Poston said Kootenai County proposed a
resolution to form a Board of Examiners for
Board of Equalization, but the proposal was
narrowly defeated by Idaho Association of
Commissioners and Clerks and will not be going
forward. Clerk Poston suggested these issues be
added to the agenda for the next District 1
meeting.
Commissioner Kirby moved to approve the minutes
of June 11 & 12, 2012. Commissioner Dinning
second. Motion passed unanimously.
Chief Deputy Clerk Tracie Isaac and Chief
Probation Officer Stacy Brown joined the
meeting.
Clerk Poston said because the values have
dropped, the County is over levy limits on a
couple of funds; one being the Justice Fund and
the other the Parks and Recreation Department.
Clerk Poston spoke of various positions at the
Sheriff’s Office. Commissioner Dinning said the
County’s value has decreased 10% and there will
probably be another decrease next year.
Clerk Poston left the meeting at 10:55 a.m.
11:00 a.m., Courthouse Maintenance
Superintendent Jerry Kothe joined the meeting.
Mr. Kothe said as requested he contacted Sherry
Wastweet with Panhandle Area Council about a
County Americans with Disabilities Act Board.
The County’s ADA board has been defunct for some
time and for the County to meet the 504 Outreach
Housing Plan requirements a new ADA Board needs
to be formed. Mr. Kothe said he will contact
people who may be interested in being a board
member.
Mr. Kothe briefly updated Commissioners on work
around the Courthouse to include the following:
installing a new valve in the Courthouse for the
thermostat and contacting the owners of the
property next to the Courthouse parking lot to
discuss having the trees on their property
trimmed back.
Mr. Kothe said the Fair Board took the two big
freezers a couple years ago and they’ve been
brought to his shop. Mr. Kothe said the freezers
don’t work and he suggested taking them to earn
money for scrap iron.
Mr. Kothe left the meeting at 11:05 a.m.
Ms. Brown discussed on call services for the
Probation Department employees. Ms. Brown said
with all of the travel she does for work, etc.,
she guessed the best way to cover these hours is
to provide a rotation. Ms. Brown said she knows
there is no budget for employees to be on call
so she asked Commissioners if they would be in
favor of offering two hours of compensatory time
for a week’s worth of on call services. If an
employee was on call, other than the normal pay,
compensation would be in the form of
compensatory time off. It was said the existing
job descriptions do mention on call hours.
Commissioner Dinning said right now being on
call is a part of the Probation Office
employee’s job description and just because a
time is determined for their on call hours,
doesn’t change things so he questioned if there
needs to be compensation. Commissioner Dinning
said he is just working these questions out. Ms.
Brown said it equates to two hours per employee
except for herself. Chairman Smith said as long
as this doesn’t cost the County any funding, he
personally doesn’t have a problem with it.
Chairman Smith said he feels he is biased
because of his involvement in these programs so
maybe the other two Commissioners can see this
through unbiased eyes. Commissioner Dinning
asked Ms. Brown if she sees this compensatory
time being detrimental to the functions of the
office. Ms. Brown said she sees this as defusing
situations ahead of time so it is a win-win.
Commissioners asked for time to think it over.
The meeting with Ms. Brown and Chief Deputy
Clerk Isaac ended at 11:20 a.m.
Commissioner Dinning moved to cancel taxes for
year 2011 totaling $89.56 for parcel
#RP61N02E043910A as the property should’ve only
had one water value of $5,000 instead of three.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Clerk Glenda Poston joined the meeting at 11:19
a.m.
Commissioners and Clerk Poston discussed the
budget proposal brought to Commissioners by
Coroner Mick Mellett. Commissioner Dinning said
he doesn’t have a problem with Mr. Mellett’s
proposal, but he just doesn’t want Boundary
County to have to pay anything additional for
combing morgue rent and the coroner’s salary.
Clerk Poston said this adjustment would not
change the bottom line and it may even decrease
the budget. Chairman Smith said whoever replaces
Mr. Mellett once he retires will need a specific
amount for rent. Clerk Poston said Mr. Mellett
did state at his last meeting that the line
items could be split when a new coroner is
elected. Commissioner Dinning questioned there
being a consumer price index that morgue rent is
driven off every year.
Commissioner Dinning said Mr. Mellett should
redraft a new contract and submit what he would
like to do using the proper financial figures.
Clerk Poston said as of next year there will not
be enough funds for the Drug Task Force. Based
on what Ms. Goggia from the Prosecutor’s Office
presented at her last meeting, the County should
receive seizure funds, but the amount and date
to receive these funds is unknown. The County is
putting in 100% for the County’s personnel and
there is $39,000 left over to offset. Chairman
Smith asked how that compares from last year.
Clerk Poston said she is budgeting $25,000
rather than $15,000. The City of Bonners Ferry
will have to fund $25,000 to fund their employee
on the Drug Task Force.
Clerk Poston left the meeting at 11:30 a.m.
11:35 a.m., Commissioner Dinning moved to go
into executive session under Idaho Code
#67-2345(1) c. To conduct deliberations
concerning labor negotiations. Commissioner
Kirby second. Commissioners voted as follows:
Chairman Smith “yes”, Commissioner Dinning
“yes”, and Commissioner Kirby “yes”. Motion
passed unanimously. 12:05 p.m., Commissioner
Dinning moved to go out of executive session.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioners discussed the draft memorandum of
understanding for the proposed fire works
display.
Commissioner Dinning moved to sign the
Memorandum of Understanding with the City of
Bonners Ferry for a fire works display upon
receipt of original Memorandum of Understanding.
Commissioner Kirby second. Motion passed
unanimously.
Commissioners recessed for lunch at 12:15 p.m.
1:30 p.m., Commissioners reconvened for the
afternoon session with Chairman Ron Smith,
Commissioner Dan Dinning, Commissioner Walt
Kirby, and Deputy Clerk Michelle Rohrwasser.
1:30 p.m., Tim Patton joined the meeting to
discuss transferred development rights (TDR’s).
Also present was Don Jordan.
Mr. Patton said even though he always feels like
Commissioners think he is the enemy he only
tries to do the best for this County. Mr. Patton
spoke of TDR’s and said TDR’s are set up right
now so that the receiving areas are in zones
except in Agriculture/ Forestry. If issues with
the receiving area bring down the market value
for the property owner, there is no incentive
for people to use TDR’s. Mr. Patton said if one
were to have an overlay area that everyone has
agreed on to be appropriate with high density
and infrastructure to accommodate the sending
areas to the receiving areas, it would work. Mr.
Patton said he has studied this for quite some
time.
Mr. Patton spoke of cluster developments being
fragmented, which defeats the purpose of TDR’s.
Mr. Patton referred to Idaho Code §57-6515A and
also mentioned he had spoken to someone at the
Sonoran Institute about this who also agreed
there is no financial incentive for people to
use TDR’s.
Commissioner Kirby said for clarification, this
should be done where there is higher density.
Mr. Patton said he is not anti-development as
people think, he just feels development should
be properly concentrated. Commissioner Dinning
said there are some trains of thought that this
is trying to tell humanity that they can only
live in certain areas and he likened this
thought to a conspiratorial theory called Agenda
21, in which you take over all the land and
force the populous into a certain area.
Commissioner Dinning said when talking about the
receiving area being devalued, he tends to
disagree because the smaller the parcel the more
money the developer gets per acre.
Mr. Jordan said property value may go up, but
the value of the TDR decreases and that is where
it ceases to protect areas such as prime
agriculture as those owners can’t get money for
those acres. If TDR’s are available anywhere,
the rights will be sold cheap, according to Mr.
Jordan.
Commissioner Dinning said the only people who
would utilize this would be the Vital Ground,
The Nature Conservancy, etc., and not private
people. Commissioner Dinning said what the
County questioned and talked about is why a
private person should not be a part of the free
enterprise system. Commissioner Dinning said
when the County zoned, it planned for “X” number
of houses or units, but we’re not creating more
housing units by TDR’s. Commissioner Dinning
said the other part of this with fragmentation
is that 75% or so of Boundary County is set
aside because of conservation easements so this
is only dealing with 25% of the land remaining.
Commissioners asked in dealing with the cluster
development theory, would the County really have
50 houses built on 200 acres with the balance
available. Mr. Patton said he’s not taking away
anything. Mr. Patton mentioned a large property
owner who is experiencing problems paying their
taxes, but something like this would be helpful.
Commissioner Dinning said he must have
misunderstood because he agrees with Mr. Patton
in that scenario. Mr. Patton said it goes back
to the market value for TDR’s. If there are two
many receiving properties, the value decreases.
Commissioner Dinning said that is the market.
Mr. Patton said the County could make it to have
less receiving areas. Mr. Jordan said management
at both ends is needed.
If anyone can sell development rights, then
there is a surplus and it is cheap. The sending
areas need to meet the criteria of the statute.
Chairman Smith said if he owned 100 acres,
someone could pay him for a certain amount to
give up the right to develop some of that
acreage, but he could still farm, etc.
1:45 p.m., City of Bonners Ferry Assistant
Administrator David Sims joined the meeting.
Mr. Patton said the value of the TDR decreases
if there are too many receiving areas.
The restrictions of the receiving end of a TDR
are infrastructure and higher density. Chairman
Smith asked if there would have to be
restrictions depending on what zone the property
is in.
Mr. Jordan said the intent is to protect special
property such as prime agriculture.
2:00 p.m., City of Bonners Ferry Council Member
Tom Mayo, and Parks and Recreation Board Members
Tim Dougherty and Lisa Carle joined the meeting.
Mr. Patton said he would like to see
Commissioners take out the provisions for
transferred development rights or fix it.
The meeting with Mr. Patton and Mr. Jordan ended
at 2:03 p.m.
Those present met to discuss learning of City of
Bonners Ferry fees for people or groups renting
areas under County jurisdiction.
Chairman Smith said when there is an event at
the fairgrounds, that person or group enters
into an agreement with the County, but now he
understands because the event is within city
limits the renting party also has to pay a fee
to the City of Bonners Ferry.
Commissioners discussed language in the City’s
agreement. Mr. Sims said he thinks the City
Council is going to change the City’s agreement
and he mentioned there being exceptions for the
current agreement. If the function is a private
one, it isn’t an issue, according to Mr. Sims.
In the past where there has been trouble is if
the circus comes to town and flyers have been
placed around the City and there is manure to
clean up. Chairman Smith said even so, the
agreement and event is through the Parks and
Recreation Department. Chairman Smith said if
the event called for City police and fire, he
could see that. Mr. Sims said if people want the
City’s fire or police services for specific
times that is different. Mr. Sims said the City
is willing to address the County’s concerns.
Mr. Dougherty said he is aware of the agreement
with the Fair Board to handle the rental of the
slab or fairgrounds. Chairman Smith said that is
because if there are rentals, the Fair Board
handled the paperwork.
Mr. Dougherty said he had information for
Commissioners to review. Mr. Dougherty said if
someone has a family reunion at the fairgrounds
or a church group softball game that is more the
use of County facilities. If someone wants to
use the slab, that is Park and Recreation’s
jurisdiction and Parks and Recreation can now
take over rental obligations. The slab falls
under Parks and Recreation, but the Fair Board
has handled the rental of this area.
Commissioner Dinning said historically when
there has been an event such as the County fair,
the Fair Board has handled rental of the slab.
Ms. Carle said this rental process took place
before the Parks and Recreation Board. Fair
Board Secretary Sandy Schnepf would handle the
rental process and issue the Parks and
Recreation Board a check after deducting the
Fair Board fees. The slab is a part of the Parks
and Recreation Department so the Parks and
Recreation Board felt it would be best to handle
all that falls under their own jurisdiction.
Commissioner Dinning said there has been no
communication with the Fair Board and the
process is not broken so is this a process
creating confusion with the Fair Board. Ms.
Carle said she thinks it will make it easier and
more streamlined.
Ms. Carle used the July Fourth fire works event
as an example and said she was looking at this
event because there is a Parks and Recreation
Board and there is a Parks and Recreation Board
Facilitator so it just makes sense. The
electricity meter has been switched. Ms. Carle
said the Parks and Recreation Board is on the
Fair Board’s agenda to talk about this.
Mr. Dougherty asked if the City and County have
a reciprocity agreement for law enforcement
services. Mr. Dougherty said he can understand
the City’s concern for the Dog Walk, etc. and to
pay City fees because the walk was on the City’s
roads, but he’s curious, if something happens in
the City, the County doesn’t require someone to
get a permit to remit for possible County law
enforcement services.
Ms. Carle said when she talked to the City Clerk
about this she mentioned Parks and Recreation
charging a fee and then telling the rental party
they also have to approach the City of Bonners
Ferry to pay the same fee to the City all over
again. Those present reviewed agreements.
Commissioner Kirby left the meeting to tend to
personal matters.
Mr. Sims said the City also feels the same way
about sending people to two different places for
fees, etc. Mr. Sims said one exception may be
when the event does involve requesting specific
city fire or law enforcement services.
Commissioner Dinning suggested notifying the
City of Bonners Ferry without having to cost the
rental party additional fees. Ms. Carle said
there could also be a provision in which if the
rental party fails to clean up event posters or
anything to do with the City, the return of the
County’s fees could be withheld.
Commissioner Dinning said in going through this
we just need to make sure there is no undue
hardship to taxpayers.
Ms. Carle said there are things to change on the
agreements so maybe it is a good idea to have
both the County and City review for possible
changes. It was mentioned that private
functions, government functions and church
functions could be exempted from the City’s
fees. The Parks and Recreation Board will
re-draft the agreements and submit them to
Commissioners for review.
Mr. Dougherty presented Commissioners with a
copy of the Parks and Recreation Board by-laws.
Those present discussed water at Riverside Park.
The perk test for restrooms failed, but the
permit for water has been approved.
The meeting with Mr. Mayo, Mr. Dougherty, Ms.
Carle, and Mr. Sims ended at 2:44 p.m.
2:45 p.m., Sheriff Greg Sprungl, Sheriff’s
Office Administrative Deputy Crystal Denton,
Clerk Glenda Poston, Chief Deputy Clerk Tracie
Isaac and Chief Deputy Sheriff Rich Stephens
joined the meeting.
Chairman Smith said a new job description for
the Sheriff’s Office had gone through the review
process by the Personnel Classification
Committee and he recapped the prior meeting. The
new job description for a particular employee
was rated a Grade 12, but this employee is
currently a Grade 14. After review again, the
new job description increased to a Grade 13.
Sheriff Sprungl said dispatchers are a Grade 12
so how can someone who supervises others be the
same grade as the employees they supervise.
Commissioner Dinning said when positions were
re-classed, employees were making a certain
amount and steps in raises took place. At the
time positions were re-classed, they were done
so to reflect what the individual was paid at
that time. Chief Deputy Clerk Isaac said the
step in grade was done away with by the County.
The Classification Committee was established in
year 1995 and grades were assigned to positions.
Sheriff Sprungl said generally the position is
rated and not the person.
Sheriff Sprungl said it is helpful to put the
positions in the same category as the grades and
he added that there were disparities within the
system. Sheriff Sprungl said there are two
positions within the Courthouse that are Grade 9
and there is a Driver’s License Clerk who is a
Grade 7 and employees see this. If the County
doesn’t have a good and fair system, it causes
morale problems, etc. Chairman Smith wondered
where the other employee morale issues are
because this is the first this matter has come
up. Sheriff Sprungl said there are salaried
positions that aren’t listed on this list as
well and that sometimes a job has to be created
around an individual.
Sheriff Sprungl said a job description was
created in his office and he had to question the
system when it came back Graded at a 12 when the
dispatchers are a Grade 12. Chairman Smith said
if the job description was brought in and
Commissioners were told it was a Grade 12 or 13,
he could understand. But the process goes
through a committee so should Commissioners
over-ride the Committee and if so, are
Commissioners being fair to others.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Rich Stephens said when all
jobs were given a grade is that the same
criteria used for this job. Chief Deputy Clerk
Isaac said the process and guidelines have been
the same since the beginning. Chairman Smith
said he would question flaws since the job
changed from a Grade 12 to a Grade 13.
Chief Deputy Clerk Isaac explained that a couple
of job duties were taken out and the Committee
had felt the description was initially vague.
Sheriff Sprungl asked how supervisors are
graded. Chief Deputy Clerk Isaac said there are
five categories for supervisors. Ms. Denton’s
position is a Grade 4 supervisor as the Sheriff
is listed at a Grade 5. Other ratings for
grading Ms. Denton’s proposed position were a 5
and other ratings came in at 1’s and 2’s.
Sheriff Sprungl said one of the biggest
contentions of the Committee in the past was
requiring educational degrees. Commissioner
Dinning mentioned situations in which an
employee can pad the job description in order to
increase the position’s grade. Commissioner
Dinning said everyone’s job duties state “all
other duties as assigned” so why not keep Ms.
Denton’s new position at a Grade 14, but include
the other duties. Chief Deputy Sheriff Stephens
briefly discussed the 911 funding portion of
this position and the possibility of an audit.
Sheriff Sprungl said one position listed is a
Grade 16 and that is the GIS Mapper and he
wondered if that position went through the
Committee to be given a grade. Chief Deputy
Clerk Isaac said that position did go through
the Committee and because of the engineering
degree, the points increased by 100.
It was said Ms. Denton is going to take over the
current head dispatcher’s duties, but she will
be doing even more than those duties. Clerk
Poston spoke of how longevity affects the amount
of pay. Sheriff Sprungl said the longevity of
the person currently in this position should
have nothing to do with the Grade 14. Sheriff
Sprungl said Ms. Denton is valuable to the
Sheriff’s Office and it is more than just the
job description. Sheriff Sprungl said Ms. Denton
has multiple talents. Sheriff Sprungl said he
doesn’t agree in grading according to the
employee, but in this case they’ve come across
this many times. Sheriff Sprungl spoke of the
multiples tasks that Ms. Denton took on when
other employees left.
The policy states the position is a Grade 13,
but as Commissioner Dinning states when looking
at the prior job description with “other duties
as assigned”, that position was a Grade 14.
Sheriff Sprungl said it raises a question when
the duties of a Grade 14 are taken on in
addition to “additional duties as assigned”.
Chief Deputy Sheriff Stephens mentioned leaving
the current job description untouched, but
include the dispatch supervisor’s duties. It was
said Ms. Denton’s job description was not
upgraded to include 911 duties. Chief Deputy
Clerk Isaac said the current job description was
updated to include 911 duties and that is when
the grade became a 14.
Chairman Smith asked if the best hope was for
this job to remain a Grade 14 or for this
position to be higher than a Grade 14. Chief
Deputy Sheriff Stephens said he thinks the
surprise was that the rating came in less than a
Grade 14.
Clerk Poston said due to market value the
Justice Fund is over the levy limit and she can
shift some budgets, but not all of them. Clerk
Poston said she did include the Administrative
Assistant position in her budget, but the County
really has to cut back and does not have a
choice in that. Chairman Smith questioned as it
stands with that job remaining a Grade 14, that
budget would not change. Clerk Poston said yes
because it falls under E911.
Chairman Smith said if the new job description
was done away with and left the same with “other
duties as assigned” that would work. Chairman
Smith said it wasn’t so much what this job pays,
but that there was another job that pays more.
Commissioner Dinning asked for a review of the
job description of Ms. Denton’s current duties.
It was said Ms. Denton is handling the
administrative duties for the County’s 911
system and that Bonner County probably has
someone doing the same duties, but nothing in
addition to that.
Commissioner Dinning and Chief Deputy Clerk
Isaac said the Committee could update the job
description, not re-rate it. Sheriff Sprungl
said Dispatch Supervisor would have to be added.
The meeting with Sheriff Sprungl, Chief Deputy
Sheriff Stephens, Chief Deputy Clerk Isaac, Ms.
Denton, and Sheriff Sprungl ended at 3:30 p.m.
There being no further duties, the meeting
adjourned at 3:30 p.m.
/s/
RONALD R. SMITH, Chairman
ATTEST:
/s/
GLENDA POSTON, Clerk
By: Michelle Rohrwasser, Deputy |
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